Following on from my last post, here’s a few more from Peter’s collection.
Chinese Elm with beautiful mature bark.
Japanese Maple
Siberian Elm, originally an air layer.
Japanese White Beech, I think!
Pinus Sylvestris
Hemlock Group
Part 3 to follow……
Willowbog Collection Part 1
Here are a few of Peter’s own collection. This is also referred to locally as ‘Mr Greedy’s Collection’.
Starting off with my favourite, This big Spruce is a beauty. I kept going back to see it every few hours.
Larch Raft
Hemlock
It was brought in to the workshop area to grace the Tokonoma on the Saturday.
Beech
Hawthorn
Maple Clump
Hemlock
Part 2 coming soon.
Fantastic weekend at Willowbog
I had a fantastic time at Willowbog Bonsai this weekend. Peter and Jean, thanks for having me about the place, your kindness, generosity and friendship is greatly appreciated. I shall try and do justice here to my Willowbog experiences over the weekend. I don’t think all my photos would fit in one post 🙂 I fully intend to milk it for the rest of the week.
I must also say thanks to Peter Warren. I was officially only a spectator for the two days but I felt included in the workshops. More on the workshops in later posts.
To finish off, I’ll share some photographs of Willowbog Farm.
Pointing the way to Willowbog.
Not many trees in these few but I can assure you, the next post will take care of that 🙂
Fuji Colour Creeping in
Even though this Fuji Cherry was defoliated this year, it is already showing signs of that wonderful Autumn colour creeping in.
Hawthorn Air layer Update
This is the layer that I took off the previously posted Hawthorn last year. I lifted it in to the garage on Thursday to remove unwanted shoots.
This is probably closer to the final potting angle.
I know it doesn’t look like it, but there is some pretty good movement in the trunk line of this tree. The Spring foliage was shortened back in June after it flowered. The new shoots you see are all on a chop made in the middle of the tree. These will all have to be removed as this will have to be carved away.
This was it after removing the unwanted branches. I left the low branch on, I think this might make a nice feature.
This is the stump for carving. By the feel of the pot and how steady the tree is, I think there is sufficient roots for this work to be carried out during the Winter.
Considering I was going to just chop this off and bin it, I’m glad I waited for an Air Layer. I have another big Hawthorn that I now plan to layer next Spring.
Off to Willowbog….
That me off to Willowbog Bonsai for the weekend 🙂
Peter has kindly offered for me to spend the weekend with him and Jean watching the Peter Warren Workshops.
One thing I can say about bonsai, it has introduced me to many good friends around the world. Many I haven’t met face to face, but hopefully, as the years go by, I will rectify that 🙂
Click below to see what I’ll be watching.
Rearranging for Autumn Colour
I have moved a few of my trees around so I can appreciate the changing Autumn Colour.
This is the view from my living room window. I wanted to shift out the trees that were past their best, Hawthorn etc, and replace with a few that should give me a nice spread of colour over the next month or so.
Among this lot are 2 Trident Maples, 3 Japanese Maples, a Fuji Cherry, a Beech, a Raulii, A Japanese Larch, a Gingko, a Crab Apple , a Cotoneaster and a Korean Hornbeam. I think that should do the trick 🙂
I had a nice moment today when chatting to a club member. He rang to book a workshop place and in conversation he told me that after seeing my display area above, he went home and over the Summer has been putting up some reed screening to making more of an effort with his own display. I love hearing stuff like that. 🙂 I’m invited down for a look as well. Looking forward to that.
Beginners Blog
I always like to plug other peoples blogs and I thought I would share this one with you.
Dean, also known as Halo on Wee Trees, has recently started this blog to track his bonsai exploits. His first few articles have been excellent. Keep them coming Dean. Pop over to his blog for a look by clicking the image below. I’ve also added him to my bonsai friends list on the right.
Oh, Just ignore him posing with his top off. (That should get a few ladies checking 🙂 )
Hawthorn Update
This Hawthorn was repotted in the Spring after being the parent plant of an air layer removed last year. I gave it fee growth this year to help it establish roots. Like most of my Hawthorn here, it has come into Autumn early. Only a few tip green leaves remain on some of this seasons late shoots.
The story of how this tree was air layered can be read here. Hawthorn Air Layer
Most of the branches produced this year are now too thick and stiff to position with wire into a desirable shape. Others are in the wrong place. These, for example, are growing from the inside of a bend.
Most of these are unusable as well.
I quite liked this as a possible new front.
I removed the unwanted branches and left those that can still be of use in the design of the tree next year. The area where the air layer had been removed will need carving. It takes away from what is actually nice movement in the tree. Also, some deadwood at the base where old roots had been torn at some point in the trees past.
Now that the tree has become better established in it’s new pot, next year I will direct any new shoots early while they are still flexible. I hope to see plenty of adventurous buds appearing in the Spring.
Carving Bits
This set of carving bits was recommended to me by one of the chaps on the Wee Trees Forum. I had been looking for something that fitted the Dremel that would allow for detailed carving work. This set had something very similar and you got 3 of them for the price that most Bonsai Suppliers were charging for one. I got them today and they look the part. Obviously you don’t need the black thing. Once I give them a go, I’ll let you know if it was worth the saving or not. Sometimes cheaper isn’t better, or so my wife says!
Here’s the link to the vendor on ebay. 4 piece multipurpose cutting kit.
Bonsai Eejit 